Don't Follow A Warriors Fanfiction
by xxEyeofthetigerxx
Summary: Young mother, Dewfur, and father, Harestar, the leader of DawnClan have three kits. Who knows? One could end up being a part of a prophecy...
1. Don't Follow Prologue

Allegiances

DawnClan

Leader HARESTAR – dusty-brown tom, tinged with black and white

Deputy KINKCLAW – blue-gray she-cat with surprisingly long claws

Medicine Cat MINKFUR – mink-furred she-cat with green eyes

Warriors

NIGHTPUDDLE – black tom with gray paws and watery-blue eyes

APPRENTICE, CRYSTALPAW

SPECKLEWING – speckled, brown tabby she-cat

DUSKFROST – small tabby she-cat

APPRENTICE, FROSTPAW

CROWTALON – large black tom with long claws

ROSEFUR – reddish-brown she-cat

WAVECRASH – gray tom

APPRENTICE, LAKEPAW

OLIVEPELT – mottled tom

REEDFALL – brown tabby tom with blue eyes

COPPERMASK – light brown she-cat

CLOVERPETAL – beautiful brown-tabby she-cat

EVENINGDRIFT– faded-brown tabby she-cat

APPRENTICE, MOONPAW

SNOWFUR – white she-cat

Apprentices

CRYSTALPAW – silver she-cat

FROSTPAW – gray tabby tom

LAKEPAW – large blue-gray tom

MOONPAW – small white she-cat with blue eyes

Queens

QUILLTAIL – broad-shouldered tabby

GINGERFUR – ginger-pelted tabby

DEWFUR – gray-white tabby

Elders

WOODFUR – brown tabby tom

PUDDLEDROP – gray she-cat

DimClan

Leader MIDNIGHTSTAR – black she-cat

Deputy ADDERCLAW – dusty-brown tom

Medicine Cat GRAYFOOT – gray tabby tom

Warriors

SHALLOWFANG – black she-cat

NIGHTFUR – gray tabby tom

AMBEREAR – amber-furred she-cat

APPRENTICE, STONEPAW

RAINTOOTH – silver-gray tom

HEATHERFOOT - gray she-cat

SILVERMOON – silver she-cat

APPRENTICE, HOPEPAW

BLACKPELT – black tom

TALLFANG – large tabby tom

DARKFLOWER – black she-cat with green eyes

WHITEBREEZE – white she-cat with grayish tint

Apprentices

STONEPAW - gray tabby tom

HOPEPAW – cloudy-brown she-cat with amber eyes

Queens

CRESCENTWAVE – gray she-cat with brown tint

Elders

MOSSFUR – brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

MarshClan

Leader HAWKSTAR – brown tom with a white underbelly and blue eyes

Deputy SWEETCLAW – beautiful dusty-gray she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat LIONFUR – golden tom

APPRENTICE, FERNPAW – gray-white she-cat

Warriors

HALFHEART – black she-cat with one green eye and one blue eye

APPRENTICE, SLEETPAW

ASHWIND – gray tom

BROWNPELT – chocolate-brown tom with hazel eyes

LITTLESTRIPE – small gray tabby tom with leaf-green eyes

APPLESPECKLE – mottled brown she-cat

APPRENTICE, DAPPLEPAW

DUSKLEAF – dusty-brown tom

SPOTTEDBREEZE – beautiful dusty-brown she-cat

MOTTLEDFUR – calico she-cat

BEARSTREAK – large brown tom

APPRENTICE, BLOODPAW

DUSTFUR – light brown tabby she-cat

Apprentices

SLEETPAW – gray tom

DAPPLEPAW – dappled ginger she-cat

BLOODPAW – reddish-brown tom

Queens

FLOWERPETAL – beautiful golden-white she-cat

Elders

SLEEPYFOOT – tired-looking gray tom

SwoopClan

Leader HAZELSTAR – hazel-brown tom

Deputy OAKROOT – brown tom with green eyes

Medicine Cat LYNXTAIL – white she-cat with a puffed tail due to her breed

Warriors

HEARTMASK – beautiful golden she-cat

APPRENTICE, SHELLPAW

PHANTOMHEART – gray she-cat

BLACKFUR – jet-black tom

BIRDFALL – gray tom with a pointy muzzle

RIVERFLOW – swift blue-gray tom

STRIPEFOOT – oddly-striped gray she-cat with white paws

LONGNOSE – long-nosed tabby tom

SPLASHFOOT – black she-cat with gray-dappled paws

WHITETAIL – black tom with a white tail

ODDFOOT – fierce, tall black tom with a missing leg

Apprentices

SHELLPAW – beautiful soft-cream she-cat

Queens

RAINDAPPLE – gray she-cat with lighter gray specks

Elders

BROKENWOOD – old brown tom

Prologue

"The kits are coming!" was Dewfur's mew as the medicine cat of DawnClan, Minkfur, rushed around the medicine den, scuffling for watermint and borage.

"Calm down," came Harestar's mew to his mate, Dewfur, who was now panicking as ripples passed across her belly.

"You'll be fine," Harestar murmured in his mate's ear. Dewfur seemed to relax as Minkfur returned with watermint and borage, which Dewfur licked up slowly. Minkfur pressed a paw on the frightened young queen's belly just as a strong ripple passed through. Dewfur yowled and Harestar licked her ear to calm her down. One black kit slid out onto the moss, which Harestar began to lick and comfort, and then set it at Dewfur's chest. Another ripple came in waves across Dewfur's stomach, and this time it seemed to be not so painful when the second kit slid out, a rusty-brown tom. Harestar smiled when Dewfur was quick to retrieve this kit and lap her tongue around its face. Dewfur grunted as the last ripple passed through, and a small, weak-looking white kit slid onto the moss. Harestar seemed surprised at the small kit, but he pulled his youngest kit forward and began to lick its stomach. He picked it up by the scruff and set it by his mate calmly.

"They're beautiful," Harestar whispered, and licked his mate's forehead.


	2. Don't Follow Chapter One

Chapter One

"Jetkit, Firekit, and Winterkit," Dewfur mewed as her mother, Puddledrop, an old gray elder, bent forward to inspect her grand-kits.

"They're certainly beautiful, Dewfur," Puddledrop smiled and straightened to lick Harestar's ear as a congratulating gesture.

A smile widened across Harestar's muzzle as he licked his mate's ear and bent down to lick each one of his kits across the forehead. He stopped at Winterkit, the small white one, who was still, unlike the other ones, who were writhing at Dewfur's belly, seeking warmth.

"Winterkit," Harestar whispered. "Open your eyes. Your brothers have…" he licked his last kit's cheek warmly.

Winterkit was conscious, but she refused to open her eyes. _They can't boss me around! _She thought as she pressed her paws against the Clan leader's face.

"Come on, for me?" Harestar murmured back.

Winterkit's eyes fluttered open.

"Dewfur! She opened her eyes!" Harestar mewed to his mate, who was busily paying attention to the other kits.

"Okay," she mewed simply, seeming not to care about her only daughter, who was squirming against her father's paws. Harestar grunted and licked Winterkit's forehead.

"I have to go and arrange who is going to the gathering," he mewed to Puddledrop and Dewfur, who were fussing over Jetkit. Winterkit squirmed against Harestar again, pressing her paws against his legs as he began to pad away. Puddledrop lifted up Winterkit by the scruff and dangled her next to Dewfur's belly. She dropped her without a care that the small kit could easily be injured. Winterkit struggled against her mother's belly, trying to push her brothers back.

"Winterkit!" Firekit mewed to his sister, who he had just discovered opened her eyes. "Harestar's been fussing over you forever! Jetkit and I thought you'd never open your eyes!" Firekit squeaked.

"Now, now, Firekit," came Dewfur's gentle mew as she prodded him on the forehead ever so carefully to guide him back to her stomach. HJetkit was already up and trying to stand on his stubby legs. He tumbled over every few heartbeats. The kits had been born three sunrises ago.

"They're perfect," Puddledrop mewed, still not paying much attention to little Winterkit. Winterkit prodded Puddledrop's paw with her own and realized how big the world was and how small she was. She was smaller than her brothers and definitely weaker. In that moment, Winterkit knew she was not as loved as she thought she was when she awaited opening her eyes.

"Dewfur," she squeaked, looking up at her mother, who looked down at her and smiled slightly, and pressed a paw against her back to pull her to her belly. It was a fake grin, Winterkit could tell.

_She likes Firekit and Jetkit better than me._


	3. Don't Follow Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Winterkit opened her eyes as the sunlight streamed in the nursery. Jetkit was already scuffling with Firekit.

"Come here, Winterkit!" Firekit mewed excitedly when he saw Winterkit's eyes flutter open in the morning sun.

"Hi, Winterkit," Jetkit mewed bluntly. He was the biggest kit in the entire nursery, even though he had been born only three moons ago and Flowerkit and Stormkit, the other two kits in the nursery, who were five moons old, were even smaller than Jetkit.

"Hi," Winterkit never much enjoyed her oldest brother's company, but she often dealt with it by pretty much ignoring him most of the time.

"Can we go play?" Firekit whined to Dewfur, who was in a deep conversation with Gingerfur, another queen in the nursery. Dewfur turned her head and nodded, her ears flicking back to catch the rest of what the other queen was saying.

"Let's go, Winterkit!" Firekit squealed, and tumbled out of the nursery, with a stiff-walking Jetkit following closely behind. Winterkit bounded after Firekit, who she was still much smaller than. She squinted against the blinding sunlight and was suddenly bowled over.

"Hey!" she squeaked, only to look up at a handsome gray tabby tom.

"Sorry," the tom grinned. "I'm Frostpaw. You must be one of Dewfur's new kits."

"Yeah," Winterkit squirmed uncomfortably under the tom's weight.

"Oh. Sorry," the tom eased off of her, lowering his ears slightly.

Winterkit nodded awkwardly and stood upon the tom's release. "I'm Winterkit," she mewed. She angled her head toward Jetkit, who was pinning down Firekit. "Those are my brothers, Firekit and Jetkit."

The tom nodded, a smirk crossing his face. "So when are you going to be an apprentice?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"Uh…three moons," Winterkit answered, cocking her head as well as she added up the moons until her apprenticeship.

"That's a long time! I was just made an apprentice a moon ago," the tom answered.

Winterkit nodded, her eyes shifting to the ground in shyness.

"Frostpaw!" Duskfrost, Frostpaw's mentor called from behind.

"Well…see you around," the tom chirped, and turned around to bound off toward his mentor.

"Yeah…see you…" Winterkit whispered.


	4. Don't Follow Chapter Three

Two moons later, Quilltail gave birth to four kits – Ashkit, Wolfkit, Lionkit, and Honeykit. Winterkit, Firekit, Jetkit, Flowerkit, and Stormkit waited for the new kits to open their eyes.

"Look! Ashkit is opening his eyes!" Flowerkit squeaked, and the other four kits waiting for new playmates bounded over.

The small kitten blinked open his eyes. They were a dark gray, and Winterkit was fascinated.

_Maybe I'll have kits some day! _She felt her pelt burn with embarrassment as she thought of Frostpaw. She had really begun to like the gray tom, and had often followed him to the elders' den to listen to stories as he replaced their moss.

_Maybe he likes me back!_ She felt overjoyed at the thought, but Firekit's squeal brought her back down to Earth.

"They're all opening their eyes!" he mewed.

Quilltail was clutching her kits close to her belly and began licking them, as if coaxing them to warm up to the bright light that had replaced the darkness of a newborn life.

"Now we can play!" Stormkit squealed. "Let's go outside!"

"Stormkit, no. You mustn't urge them just yet. They can barely use their legs!" Stormkit's and Flowerkit's mother, Gingerfur, answered.

Wolfkit and Lionkit began pummeling each other as soon as they saw each other. Being two of the three brothers, they were a bit larger than Ashkit and Honeykit.

"Come along, now," Dewfur announced. "We're letting you four out of the nursery for a while until Quilltail gets settled.

"Aw! Mom! But we want to play with Ashkit, Wolfkit, Lionkit, and Honeykit!" Firekit complained.

Littlestripe rushed into the nursery, padding over to his mate, Quilltail, who looked aggravated at the moment, possibly because the four kits didn't exit the den as Dewfur said.

"They opened their eyes!" Littlestripe mewed happily. "I'm so sorry I missed it. I was on a hunting patrol." He lowered his voice. "Harestar wanted to talk to me about mentoring Stormkit, too. After all, Gingerfur's kits are due for their apprentice ceremonies tomorrow."

_Lucky Flowerkit and Stormkit! They get to be apprentices! _Then Winterkit reminded herself. _That means we'll be apprentices next moon! _Winterkit shined with pride and followed the other three kits out of the nursery.

Frostpaw and Crystalpaw were practicing battle moves in the middle of the clearing. By the looks of it, Frostpaw was obviously glad to be in the she-cat's company.

_But… I thought… _Winterkit shook her head as she saw Frostpaw swipe his tongue lovingly over Crystalpaw's ears. Crystalpaw purred and dipped her muzzle into his fur.

_No._

"Frostpaw!" Winterkit found herself meowing louder than she needed to. Frostpaw lifted his head, his ears burning.

"Winterkit, hi," he mewed back, and went back to practicing his battle moves.

_But… two moons of spending time with him… and…_

Winterkit turned her head to her denmates, who were playing a game Stormkit had invented called "Badger Attack". She focused her attention on Flowerkit, who was playing the badger. The object of the game is for the badger to chase the warriors. If the badger caught one of the warriors, that warrior would turn into a badger, and the last warrior standing would win.

Flowerkit lunged for Jetkit and he sidestepped, leaving Flowerkit to crash into the snow before her. She arose, laughing, and bounced toward Stormkit, reaching him without a chance for her denmate to react, and then pummeling him with her paws, squealing. Stormkit let out a growl and raced toward Winterkit. Winterkit let out a _mrrow _of amusement and slipped under Stormkit, rolling to her paws, facing backwards, and striking out her hind paws, catching him in his own hind paws, causing him to roll forward, landing on his face in the snow. Winterkit laughed loudly, and then stopped to realize something.

No one else was laughing with her.


	5. Don't Follow Chapter Four

**AN: I was a little busy, so here's a short chapter. There will be more to come! **

Winterkit looked around, and then suddenly, a burst of appreciation arose over her.

"How did you do that?" Firekit mewed. Even Jetkit looked impressed.

"Whoah!" Stormkit got up, shaking the snow from his fur. A few melted droplets clung to his whiskers. "I wasn't expecting that…" His nose had a scratch on it from colliding with the solid snow, that was almost as hard as ice at this point in leaf-bare.

Frostpaw and Crystalpaw had stopped to look their way. Crystalpaw looked surprised and shrugged her shoulders, getting back to training. Frostpaw continued to linger his gaze on the 5 moon old apprentice that had been his best friend for two moons, then his eyes flitted back to Crystalpaw.

"That was so cool!" Flowerkit squealed.

Winterkit's gaze lowered. "T-Thanks." She wasn't expecting this kind of praise from her denmates.

Jetkit pushed past her in the nursery, angry for not being the center of attention like he usually was. Flowerkit was always padding after him; so why did he need more attention? Winterkit was enjoying the appreciation of her denmates, and after it all died down, Stormkit and her were the last ones inside.

"You were really amazing at that move! You cut my nose!" Stormkit was obviously glad to have some kind of battle wound. Winterkit hesitated for a moment, looking at her paws, and then leaned over to lick the dried blood off of his nose.

"Goodnight, Stormkit," Winterkit smiled, and bounded into the nursery. Stormkit followed, not answering.


	6. Don't Follow Chapter Five

"Jetkit, Firekit, Winterkit, you have all reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day, until you receive your warrior names, you will be known as Jetpaw, Firepaw, and Winterpaw."

_Winterpaw. _Winterpaw felt her name roll around in her mind.

_I'm an apprentice!_

She searched the crowd for Froststep, who had been named a warrior two sunrises ago. He nodded to her happily, but Winterpaw could make out his tail curled with Crystalfur's.

"Jetpaw, your mentor will be Specklewing. I hope she will pass on all she knows to you." Harestar nodded to Jetpaw and he bounded down to touch noses with his mentor.

"Firepaw, your mentor will be Minkfur. She has chosen you as her apprentice, and you agreed to take a step down a medicine cat's path. I hope she passes down all she knows to you." Harestar smiled, proud of his son as he bounded down eagerly to sit by his new mentor.

Harestar turned to Winterpaw.

"Winterpaw, your mentor will be Froststep."

Anxious murmurs rippled across the clearing.

_But Froststep was just made a warrior a few sunrises ago!_

Harestar seemed to acknowledge the whispers and he opened his jaws to speak. "I think Froststep is young enough to still remember his moves, and he is one of the strongest youngest warriors. This is why I choose him, and I hope he will pass down all he knows to you, Winterpaw."

Harestar dipped his head as Winterpaw hesitantly padded over to the tom she had loved for moons and touched her muzzle to his. Crystalfur's eyes narrowed, and she padded to the warrior den.

"So," Winterpaw smirked.

"Well, we can train tomorrow. Why don't you get some rest?" he padded away after Crystalfur without listening to her answer.

"Winterpaw!" Stormpaw's mew alarmed her. She turned to greet him and he swiped his tongue over her ear.

_Ever since I was really nice to him a moon ago, he's been following me around everywhere!_

Winterpaw shrugged under his gesture and padded to the apprentice den.

"Winter-" Stormpaw started, but then stopped. Winterpaw turned to see him looking at his paws as she padded to the den and chose a nest at the far back so no cat could hear her sob herself to sleep.


	7. Don't Follow Chapter Six

"Dogs!" Froststep's yowl sent all the heads gathered in the camp clearing turning. Suddenly, cats were racing out the barrier to the hunting grounds, all shrieking battle cries.

Ashpaw, Wolfpaw, Lionpaw, and Honeypaw, who were littermates born six moons ago, raced after them, Lionpaw and Wolfpaw shrieking battle yowls as they extended their claws.

There was something not right about Wolfpaw and Lionpaw. They were always sleeping in the back of the den near Winterpaw, and they whispered to each other every night, always ending up laughing until one of the senior warriors had ordered them to shut up.

Flowerpaw raced toward the barrier, and Stormpaw stayed behind.

_Oh no, he's trying to talk to me again… _Winterpaw raced forward before he could say a word to her. Firepaw and Jetpaw were already exiting camp.

Suddenly, several barks pierced the air. There were three dogs, all with studded collars.

"Attack!" Came Winterpaw's father's voice as the Clan leader raced head on to collide with the dog nearest to him, which was the biggest. Jetpaw was already racing toward the dog that Harestar was battling, caterwauling and surging under the dog, anchoring his claws into its belly, twisting to scrape them sideways, then rolling to his paws on the other side and nipping its leg. The dog turned, growling, but Jetpaw was too fast. He collided into the dog's front paws, bringing them falling under its large body.

Stormpaw bowled into the dog on the left, and Firepaw, Froststep, and Dewfur were battling the middle dog, who was thrashing around, trying to get Firepaw off from clinging onto its eyes and raking them downward.

Winterpaw surged forward toward the dog her brother and her father were battling, and leaped into the air, back-flipping with much skill and landing on its back. The dog tried to shake her off, but she held tightly on its scruff, raking her hind claws down its back and scraping her front claws down its eyes. Blood streamed from her paws, and she felt herself falling. Wolfpaw and Lionpaw were colliding into the dog's belly repeatedly, lashing out their back legs and causing it to tip over. Winterpaw leaped off as soon as she could before hitting the ground, and the dog fled, caterwauling.

"Stormpaw!" a terrified, sobbing mew shrieked out the name. Winterpaw turned to see Flowerpaw crouching over Stormpaw, who was wounded badly. He had tried to fight the dog on the left himself, but failed. Blood was pouring from a large gash in his throat.

"Stormpaw!" Winterpaw echoed Flowerpaw's screech, and bounded over to him.

"Please don't die, Stormpaw. Please," she whispered into his ear, burying her muzzle into his chest.

"Winterpaw, it's my time. Please, let me go. Don't feel guilty." Stormpaw was already choking out the words as blood sputtered from his mouth.

Flowerpaw was yowling, sobbing, crying for help, but no one came. They were too busy fighting off the remaining dogs.

"Winterpaw, I want you to know something…" Stormpaw gasped out.

"Anything," Winterpaw sobbed.

"I love you," Stormpaw mewed, and he gave his last breath before Winterpaw could answer, and his eyes lost their usual sparkle.

"I… I love you, too, Stormpaw," Winterpaw wept. It was too late. Stormpaw was dead.

The two last dogs exited, howling, off their territory, and Winterpaw kept her head bowed into her friend's neck fur.

_I should have not avoided you, Stormpaw. I'm sorry. It's too late now. We could have been mates. I loved you, but I refused to admit it because I loved Froststep as well. I'm sorry._

_Too late, _came a mew in Winterpaw's ear as a breeze stirred her fur. _Too late._


	8. Don't Follow Chapter Seven

"I have lost one life in this battle, and we lost Stormpaw and Duskfrost. Stormpaw was a loyal member of the Clan, as was Duskfrost, who was a senior," Harestar's mourning mew echoed throughout the camp. It was a while since the fight, and cats everywhere were patched with cobwebs and poultices.

Froststep bowed his head, mourning the loss of his mentor.

"However, we have four apprentices that need to become warriors due to the courage they showed. I would name Ashpaw, Lionpaw, Wolfpaw, and Honeypaw as well, but they are too young to receive their warrior names," Harestar continued, and Winterpaw's heart skipped a beat.

"Jetpaw, Firepaw, Winterpaw, and Flowerpaw, come up for your warrior ceremonies." He finished, nodding to each grim-faced apprentice.

Winterpaw bounded up the high rock, waiting for Harestar to start.

"I, Harestar, leader of DawnClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these four brave apprentices. They have shown courage in this harsh battle, and are ready to be named warriors. They have all trained hard to know the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors." Harestar started, turning his gaze to Jetpaw.

"Jetpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" He asked Jetpaw.

"I do," Jetpaw puffed out his chest, awaiting his warrior name.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Jetpaw, from this moment on, you will be known as Jetcoal. StarClan honors your courage and bravery, and we welcome you as a full member of DawnClan." Harestar finished, resting his muzzle on Jetcoal's head, and he finished by licking his shoulder.

Harestar continued through the name ceremonies, naming Firepaw Firesmoke and Flowerpaw Flowerwind.

Winterpaw dipped her head slightly when her father turned to her to name her a warrior.

"Harestar, I would like to be named Winterstorm in memory of Stormpaw," she mewed. Her paws were shaking. She was afraid of addressing the Clan leader directly, even though he was her father.

"Very well, Winterpaw," Harestar mewed.

"Winterpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

"I do," Winterpaw answered.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I name you Winterstorm, in memory of Stormpaw. StarClan honors your remembrance and fighting skills, and we welcome you as a full member of DawnClan." Harestar finished, resting his muzzle on his daughter's head.

"Thank you," Winterstorm whispered, and licked her father's shoulder.

"Anything for my daughter," he replied quietly, and motioned for the four new warriors to begin their vigils.

"Your former mentors will tell you when to come in at dawn," Harestar mewed, dipping his head and returning to his den.

Flowerwind, Firesmoke, Jetcoal, and Winterstorm padded to the front of the camp, where the barrier lay.

Winterstorm swiveled her gaze to Wolfpaw and Lionpaw, who were glaring with hatred at the new warriors. More hatred then Winterstorm had ever seen on a cat's face. And just like that, they were gone, disappearing into the apprentice den.

_Oh, Stormpaw, what happened? _Winterstorm cried out in her mind.

_Just remember, I will love you forever, no matter how many mates or kits you have, no matter what you do, even if you kill the whole Clan, I will love you forever. _Winterstorm thought she heard Stormpaw's mew whisper in her ear.

_I'll never love again, Stormpaw, I promise. _Winterstorm sent a reply back in her mind.

_I doubt that,_ came the sad answer.


End file.
